The present invention relates to the field of wireless personal communication devices. In particular, the present invention discloses a method and apparatus for displaying user oriented information on the displays of wireless personal communication devices while such devices are idle.
To provide information and communication services to today""s busy mobile professionals, a new class of mobile computing devices has emerged. Notebook computers, palm-top computer systems, and cellular telephones all provide information services to traveling people. The mobile computing devices typically support a collection of personal information management applications such as phone books, electronic calendars, memo pads, and the like. Many mobile computing devices are also wireless communication devices such as cellular telephones and mobile network computers. Wireless communication devices typically support communication applications such as web browsers and email clients.
Many of these wireless computing devices are kept in a functioning state even when the user is not using the device in order to keep the wireless computing device in touch with the wireless communication network. Many wireless computing devices simply display a default status screen while the wireless computing device is not being used. A typical default status screen may include such information as radio signal strength, battery charge level, current date, time of day or current user options (e.g., menu of choices).
Although such status displays are somewhat useful, such static status displays provide limited information to the user who, however, has to glance at the display whenever he/she picks up the device. It would be desirable to display user oriented information, such as commercial information, an incoming appointment, or customer support telephone number so that it is nearly guaranteed that the user sees the user oriented information.
To more effectively use the display screen during idle time of wireless communication devices, the present invention introduces an idle content display system. For example, when a wireless computing device is not being used by the user the wireless computing device might display the network operators customer support telephone number, or advertisements.
In one embodiment, a browser program within the wireless communication device is used to display other idle content information to the user during such time when the wireless communication device is idle. The browser program may be modified to support looping content, interaction with idle displays, automatic scrolling, and automatic updating of idle content information.
Other objects, features, and advantages of present invention will be apparent from the company drawings and from the following detailed description.